Fire safety device for automobiles or airplanes



June 18, 1940. F, 5. SMITH I 2,204,735

FIRE SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES OR AIRPLANES Filed May 20, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor F. 5. SMITH June 18, 1940.

FIR! SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES 0R AIRPLANES Filed May 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 I u .1 1 C- a ||l 6 .0" I r J 2 3 f lllllfrllll ll l E l-IIL S a F 150m, A ftorneys Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES one-third to Win. Va.

H. Hatchett, Portsmouth,

Application May 20, 1939, Serial No. 274,852

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fire safety device for automobiles, airplanes or any other type of internal combustion propelled vehicle, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which is in the form of an automatic circuit breaker electrically connected in the ignition system of the engine of an automobile or airplane for breaking the ignition circuit when the automobile or airplane, from an accident or any other cause, assumes a dangerous angular position from a normal operating position so that the engine will be automatically stopped to prevent catching fire to the automobile or airplane by continuing running after the automobile or airplane has assumed an abnormal position to a normal operating position, consequently preventing loss of property and lives by fire.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding 01' my invention, reference is to be had to the following de- 25 scription and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, illustrating an automatic circuit breaker forming a safety fire device for an automobile, airplane or the like and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is an end elevation illustrating the device.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a frame of the circuit breaker.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bracket for mounting of the frame of the circuit breaker onto an automobile or airplane.

so Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating one of the mountings for the contacts of the circuit breaker.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a substantially U-shaped frame init eluding a connecting portion 6 and parallel portions I. Secured to one of the parallel portions 1 by bolt or like fastener 8 is a substantially U- shaped clamp 9 adapted to be brought into engagement with some suitable part of an automot bile or airplane, as shown at l0, and held in place by set screw ll extending through a slot l2 for the purpose. The clamp Sbesides supporting the frame 5 on the automobile or airplane also forms an electric ground for the frame onto the auto- 56 mobile or airplane.

An insulated block or support I2 is suitably secured on one of the parallel portions 1 and has connected thereto ends of contact elements or rods I3 which are shaped to coact with each other in forming a contact arrangement of loop forms. tion. The other ends of the contact elements or rods are suitably secured on and insulated from the other parallel portions 1 of the frame. referring to Figure 2 it will be seen that the tact rods l3 are looped upon themslves to end portions and parallel portions. Mounted on the last-named parallel portions of the bracket and insulated therefrom is a fuse holder M in the form of clips to removably receive a fuse l5. The fuse and its clips are electrically connected in an 3- ignition system (not shown) of an engine of an airplane or automobile. A conductor l6 electrically connects one of the clips of the fuse holder to the contact elements or rods l3 so that when either of said contact rods or elements is electri-- g cally grounded to the frame by means which will be hereinafter more fully described, the ignition will be short circuited and thereby blow out the fuse and consequently stop the operation of the engine.

An opening I! is formed in the connecting portion 6 of the bracket and forms a seat for a ball I8 forming a part of a pendulum ill. The pendulum I9 further includes a rod 20 threaded through the ball l8 and carrying at its lower end a weight 2| normally maintaining the rod in a vertical position. The upper portion of the rod extends between the contact elements or rods 13 and during normal operation of the automobile or airplane the rod is spaced from said contact rods or elements. However, should the automobile or vehicle assume a position at an angle dangerous to its normal operating position from any cause such as an accident, one or the other of the contact elements 13 will engage the rod 20 and there- 0 by ground the ignition system through the fuse to bring about blowing out of the fuse, consequently stopping the operation of the engine until such time that the ignition is restored to operating condition by the replacement of the fuse by a new fuse.

Thus it will be seen that should the airplane from some cause move into a position that would be dangerous to its occupants, the ignition system of the engine will be automatically broken. This also applies to the automobile when equipped with this invention. Frequently, automobiles in accidents are caused to turn over or assume such angular position with respect to normal operating or upright position that it will endanger the automobile to fire caused by gasoline flowing from the engine and becoming ignited if the engine is permitted to run during the time of the automobile occupying the abnormal position.

When the device is employed on an airplane, a latch element 22 is pivotally mounted on the connecting portion 6 of the frame and includes a spring clip 23 which may be brought into engagement with the rod 20 to prevent said rod and frame from having relative movement, consequently preventing the contact elements It from engaging the rod 20 to break the ignition system of the engine. When the airplane is assuming flight that may be termed stunt flights, it would be desirous to prevent the breaking of the ignition system of the engine also it may be found necessary in storms or the like to render the circuit breaker inoperative.

It is believed that the foregoing description,

' when taken in connection with the drawings will I fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character set forth comprising a substantially U-shaped frame including parallel portions and a connecting portion, a substantially U-shaped clamp secured to one of the parallel portions and engaging a portion of a vehicle and establishing electrical connection between the frame and the vehicle, contact elements mounted on the parallel portions and arranged to substantially encircle a selected area between the parallel portions, means for electrically connecting said contact elements with a fuse of an ignition system of a vehicle, said frame having an opening, a ball seated in said opening, a weighted rod adjustably secured to said ball and extending into said area to engage either of said contact elements on excessive movement of the frame with respect to the weighted rod to bring about destroying of the fuse.

2. In a device of the character set forth comprising a substantially U-shaped frame including parallel portions and a connecting portion, a substantially U-shaped clamp secured to one of the parallel portions and engaging a portion of a vehicle and establishing electrical connection between the frame and the vehicle, contact elements mounted on the parallel portions and arranged to substantially encircle a selected area between the parallel portions, means for electrically connecting said contact elements with a fuse of an ignition system of the vehicle, said frame having an opening, a ball seated in said opening, a weighted rod adjustably secured to said ball and extending into said area to engage either of said contact elements on excessive movement of the frame with respect to the weighted rod to bring about destroying of the fuse, a securing device pivoted on the connecting portion of the frame and including a spring clip adapted to be moved in engagement with said rod for locking said rodagainst relative movement with respect to the frame and positioned in said area spaced from the contact elements.

FLOYD S. SMITH. 

